This document serves as an accessible version of this course and is intended only for those individuals who require an accommodation for a disability. If you do not require an accommodation based on a disability, you must complete the web-based training through ESS > My Training to receive credit on your transcript.
There are two resources referenced in this course:
Welcome to Managing for Continued Excellence training.
Hello, and welcome to the “Telework Manager Certification Program,” Managing for Continued Excellence. In this program, we learned the importance of understanding how our roles will change in a telework environment. In both Managing for Results and Managing Telework Teams, we learned the frameworks to support our success in a telework environment. In this final course, we’ll cover how to ensure that excellence continues for you and your team. Here’s what to expect in this course.
In this training, we will:
In Managing for Results we discussed the Managing for Results Triangle comprised of people management, process management and good leadership. And we discussed the necessary modifications needed to be successful in a telework setting with teleworking employees. In Managing Telework Teams we discussed the role of establishing a communication framework to support a managing for results mentality while keeping your team culture.
Our progress correlates to the diagram. Through good leadership, effective people management, and process management our teams accomplish goals that support important Key Results and objectives to our organizations, agencies, and enterprise. These pieces of the triangle are founded on, supported by, and reinforced with a solid communication framework aimed at creating an atmosphere of trust, engagement and team culture. However, our progress doesn’t stop there. To accomplish our goals and create lasting change, we need to reinforce our triangle and the supporting framework it’s built upon.
To maintain excellent quality team results, follow this practice: provide clarity on expectations before establishing goal plans, while striving for goals, and after reaching goals.
Providing clear expectations before setting goals requires reiterating the purpose and need for the goal. It also requires clearly communicating how team members will discuss and establish a S.M.A.R.T. goal plan and milestones.
Providing clear expectations while reaching for goals requires collaboratively setting individual and team deadlines for progress updates. It also requires clarifying the type of input needed from each team member through delegation and holding everyone accountable through delegation follow-up. Accountability requires giving feedback, which we discussed in Managing Telework Teams, and will discuss later in this course. Without feedback, there will be not be clear expectations while the team works towards accomplishing its goal.
Providing clear expectations and feedback after reaching a goal requires an after-action review. With the team, discuss the results and how they compared with what you wanted to happen. Clarify what went well, where improvements can be made, and the next steps that need to be taken.
Part of managing expectations and maintaining excellent quality team results is to course correct and change direction when necessary. This can be challenging within the telework setting with changes to the work environment and distance communication. Let’s review how to course correct.
Plans will change and mistakes will happen. This is good because it shows progress toward a goal and provides an opportunity to improve the final result. The key is to be able to shift direction quickly. As a manager, it is your responsibility to course correct and provide direction. Do not brush off requests for help or signals that indicate course correction is needed. Here’s when to step-in:
Having your communication framework from Managing Telework Teams in place will help you and your team be more proactive in identifying and communicating the need for course correction. Many times, small course changes will be needed, and be sufficient, to navigate the hurdles that come up when reaching for goals. Here is how to course correct:
Another method for course correction is to use the quick decision method we covered in Managing for Results. Make sure to evaluate if this method of decision-making is appropriate by asking the three questions before committing to a decision. Remember, these are:
If a quick decision is appropriate, you and your team can save time and energy, and pivot more quickly.
Maintaining quality team results requires us to provide clear expectations before establishing goal plans, while reaching for, and after reaching our goals. It also requires that we anticipate and provide course correction when and where needed to stay on track towards our goals and deliver on Key Results.
Though a telework setting provides its own unique challenges, it also provides opportunities to improve efficiency, collaboration, and engagement. As you begin to put into practice the changes we covered in the “Telework Manager Certification Program” your team will be more successful in telework.
As a telework manager, you’ll need to be able to continually engage and challenge your team. Loss of engagement and productivity can occur when employees telework. Search for opportunities where your team members can lead. Is there a goal or a task in which someone on your team can take ownership of and lead? By providing the opportunity, you communicate trust and challenge the growth and development of individuals on your team.
Allow the task or goal leader to delegate, provide feedback, and course correct under your guidance. This not only builds engagement, relationships, and skills-it promotes a culture of learning and a platform for organic mentoring to occur between the team members and yourself.
When steering is needed, provide course correction feedback to this temporary leader before pulling the plug or taking charge. Be conscious of how it may be perceived by the individual and the team when you take over or switch leads. However, do not let the individual or team flounder, either. If serious action is needed, communicate this privately to the individual before communicating it to the group. Make sure to express gratitude and thanks to the individual for their efforts during this change, and when the goal is accomplished.
As managers directing teams in telework, we also need to invest in our own engagement. This maintains our own productivity and helps us drive team results as well. One way to do this is through an “Alliance Analysis.” This involves critically thinking about the partnerships around you. How close are you with those who depend on your work to do theirs? How close are you with those whose work impacts the way you do yours?
Which of these relationships can you develop to help them or to help you? Investing a small amount of time periodically to reassess these relationships will keep your network sharp and resources streamlined. Remember to take advantage of networking opportunities to engage with and connect with others outside of your team. Also, remember that building relationships starts with you. Providing good internal customer service to those whose work comes to or from you will establish trust and promote good partnerships. Good partnerships can yield better results, faster goal accomplishment, and knowledge building through cross-training.
Whether you or members of your team are teleworking, it can be easier to disengage from work and from the team. Search for opportunities to let members of your team lead tasks and projects. Encourage them to take ownership while providing mentoring and coaching. Keep your own network and partnerships sharp. Keeping ourselves and our employees engaged will help maintain excellent quality team results.
In Managing for Results and Managing Telework Teams we discussed the importance that goal setting, communication and visual management tools play in driving results and promoting transparency and accountability. The component that connects each of these elements is feedback.
In the “Telework Manager Certification Program,” feedback is a tool that drives people and process management, reinforces strong expectation management, provides course correction, and integrates into employee engagement. However, in a telework environment, giving feedback is not as easy as it is with employees in the office. Managers lose the ability for frequent informal run-ins or the ability to have an employee step into their office in passing. For these reasons, feedback in a telework setting must be done intentionally.
Here are some practices for providing feedback: Our rule of thumb from Managing Telework Teams is: Positive feedback should be delivered to the team as a team win, and negative feedback should be given individually. Let’s add to this. We can use the acronym G.I.F.T. to provide better feedback.
In addition to the G.I.F.T. acronym, make sure that feedback is given in a timely or real-time manner. To be effective, give feedback as close to the action as possible. Do not let feedback go unstated. This increases room for error and reduces engagement. Approach feedback collaboratively. Ask for insight on successes, or next steps to course correct. This promotes transparency and accountability for everyone. It continually reinforces expectations at each step, and this direct inclusion, will keep employees active and engaged. Finally, be open to and encourage reciprocal feedback. You must be willing to hear feedback from your employees to fully understand their perspective, and also understand where you can better assist your team. Being open and receptive to their feedback is a foundation for good communication; and a transparent, accountable, and engaging culture.
Feedback is a tool that connects managing for results, managing telework teams, and managing for continued excellence. It drives people and process management, reinforces strong expectation management, provides course correction, and integrates into employee engagement. Following the feedback rule of thumb, using the G.I.F.T. acronym, being timely, collaborative and open to reciprocal feedback will help you maintain excellent quality team results.
The ‘Telework Manager Certification Program’ is designed to help managers be proactive in overcoming many of the major obstacles related to telework. However, there are a number of hurdles you may encounter that will be specific to your agency, organization and team.
The following individuals and resources can help you expedite the removal of any roadblocks that may come up:
Managing for continued excellence requires that we provide clear expectations, course correct, engage and provide timely feedback to our employees to maintain excellent quality team results. It is these components that support and reinforce our Managing for Results Triangle and communication frameworks for transparency and accountability. While applying this new training knowledge will not always be easy, there are a number of resources available to help you succeed. This commitment and change starts with you.
Thank you, you have now completed the Managing for Continued Excellence training in the Telework Manager Certification Program. This version of the course is intended for individuals who require an accommodation for a disability. If you do not require an accommodation based on a disability, you must complete the web-based training through ESS > My Training to receive credit on your transcript. Once you have fully reviewed the information in this training, email the LSO Administrator Resource Account to request credit for completing this course. You will not receive credit for completing this course until you do so.